8/02/2012

The City Girl Who Liked Guns

Meet Lauren

I didn't know how lucky I was to have fallen in love with guns while living in Atlanta Georgia, until I talked gun ownership & concealed carry with gun loving NYers & north easterners. Those folks work hard for their arms rights! After the Concealed Carry Fashion show, I began to wonder: What's it like for a girl in New York City who is curious about guns? Who can she talk to? Where can she shoot? Meet Lauren. A New York City girl who is proving that guns and New Yorkers aren't completely like oil and water.

The City Girl Who Liked Guns

NYC is not the best place in this country to be a gun-lover, but with some great friends, family and support I have been able to expand my knowledge and training in the firearms industry. Growing up I was a tom-boy, and loved hanging out with the boys. I always thought that they had more fun. I loved sports and being outside and often played just to prove that I could keep up. I started shooting paintball guns when I was younger, but like most New York City kids, I grew up in an anti-gun household. The only gun lesson I ever received was, "guns kill people”. 3

In college, at age 19, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I decided to take an EMT class and quickly fell in love with the job. My partners and co-workers became my best friends. Many of them had vacation houses outside of the city, mostly in Pennsylvania. We would go camping, ATV riding, hiking, and there I was introduced to shooting. I caught the bug the second I picked up my first pistol.

It was hard for me to practice because I was always at the mercy of other people’s schedules. As I was not yet 21 yet, I couldn’t apply for a permit (because in NYC you need a permit for a RIFLE!). I usually had to call friends who were gun owners. Fortunately, by working civil service, I had become friends with a lot of cops. It was always fun and I was glad I was getting some lessons, but I still wanted more. Then, last Christmas, my aunt told me that she was getting into shooting and that she loved it. That's when I started spending more time up in Hudson, NY, learning from her and her instructors.

Since then, I have been around guns EVERYDAY, in one way or another. I finally put in my paperwork for my rifle permit, and will soon be applying for my pistol permit. I also decided to become an NRA instructor to further my knowledge and be able to pass on what I have learned to other new shooters. Protecting the Second Amendment and educating others on its importance has become a passion. We need to all work together to keep our rights and our freedoms, because that is what is at stake. Everyone shoots and own guns for a different reason, but the most important thing is that we can continue to do so!

Shooting has given me an opportunity, not only to find something else where I can excel and feel strong, but another opportunity to prove women can keep up with the boys! Working in a male dominant field, I have always had to prove myself and work extra hard, which has given me an advantage because I thrive off of it. I love pink and make-up and heels, but a physical challenge is a great opportunity to succeed and grow. I’m going to continue to seize EVERY opportunity to learn new things. I hope that by contributing to ArmedCandy, I can reach out to more women who may be afraid to ask questions, as I was. It may also prove to be another place for me to share and receive new information.

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4 comments:

Terrific article! I am very proud to have Lauren as an assistant instructor. Her diligence for perfection really shines through. Her outgoing personality brings tremendous warmth into the classroom and makes new shooters feel welcomed, something that is often sorely overlooked.